Andie on wed 21 jun 00
Well, I'm almost halfway through the arts camp I'm teaching, and am =
dying to report. This was the first formal teaching experience of my =
life, and I went in terrified. I was assigned three classes, each with =
13-15 3rd-6th graders. Well, once they got a look at the sample whistles =
that several people VERY kindly donated, the classes, by the end of the =
first day, were up to about 25...and by the end of the third day they =
were at about 30 each...and are now holding steady at 28, 32, and 35.
I had no idea how excited these kids would get. They all begged to take =
clay home, and by 8 am (camp doesn't start until 9:10) the next morning, =
I had kids coming in early to show me what they'd spent ALL evening =
working on after only the first day of camp...coil bowls, figurines, =
spare whistles...some of it really amazing stuff. The whistle project, =
which I had expected to produce plain, round whistles with maybe some =
decoration from the older students (traditional sweet potato ocarinas), =
has produced almost 100 very elaborate whistles - the kids thought them =
through better than I would have, and designed around the function - =
horses where you blow into the tail and the sound comes out the mouth, =
orca whales with REAL blowholes, some with multiple holes allowing them =
to play songs. I'm so impressed with them I almost can't stand it. The =
kiln is now on low, brimming over with hippos, turtles, pigs, =
butterflies, chickens, otters, dolphins, dragons, and even a very =
detailed koala bear, with baby in pouch. I've got one of the only =
classes where there hasn't been a single problem - not between the =
older/younger, not from the two whose parents came in to talk about =
their ADD, not from the 4th grade triplets, and not even from having all =
of those kids in one class. They come in bouncing off the walls, and get =
right to work. It's almost meditatively silent. And I have to force them =
to clean up and go on to their next classes. Now I know why year-round =
teachers do what they do.=20
The whistles will sit on low for the next 36 hours, to make sure we've =
dried them well (some are suspiciously heavy), and then will fire. I'm =
crossing my fingers that they all make the proper sounds when they come =
out, and that they're still in one piece. In the meantime, we'll begin =
working on jewelry out of polyclay tomorrow. What I would give for =
another month, or two, or three, with these kids.=20
I can't thank all of you who donated whistles enough, and I want to say =
special thank you's to: Chris Henley (thank God for his photo =
step-by-step webpage! I needed it once the pieces got more elaborate! I =
couldn't have done this without his help!) & Stephani Stephenson, Linda =
Hughes, Marcia Selsor, K.L. Dunster, Andrea Kreeger, Veena Raghavan, =
Brenda Z, Helen Bates, Billie, Linda Stauffer, and Anita Feng. All of =
you helped me get ready for this, and I feel very selfish being the only =
one who gets to see their faces light up when they hear their whistles =
make a sound.=20
I can't wait to see the parent's faces when my classes play their =
whistle recitals for them on the last day, and present them with their =
polyclay brooches, hairclips, and necklaces.=20
What a switch - I went in a nervous wreck, wishing I hadn't gotten =
myself into this, and now I would give anything to be teaching camps all =
summer!
Thanks again, everybody -=20
: ) Andie Carpenter
EMAIL: andie@princessco.com
OFFICIAL HOMEPAGE: www.andie.net
Helen Bates on thu 22 jun 00
On Wed, 21 Jun 2000 15:03:43 -0400, Andie wrote:
(snip)
The kiln is now on low, brimming over with
hippos, turtles, pigs, butterflies, chickens, otters, dolphins, dragons, and
even a very detailed koala bear, with baby in pouch. I've got one of the
only classes where there hasn't been a single problem - not between the
older/younger, not from the two whose parents came in to talk about their
ADD, not from the 4th grade triplets, and not even from having all of those
kids in one class. They come in bouncing off the walls, and get right to
work. It's almost meditatively silent. And I have to force them to clean up
and go on to their next classes.
Andie, it's great to read of the grand time your kids had. I've noticed
that clay classes, for kids - or - adults encourages a kind of
gregariousness that is fun, and somehow, not overly competitive, maybe
because people are "making" things, for once, and that's what makes them
feel good.
The meditative aspect is one I've seen too. The room goes quiet as the
hands get to work.
Congratulations.
Helen
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